The ILWU Workforce

More than 14,200 ILWU workers are employed at West Coast ports. In 2015, the total payroll exceeded $1.7 billion. ILWU members pay no health care premiums and receive a generous pension. Since the landmark 2002 agreement that brought widespread use of technology to West Coast ports, the registered workforce has grown by 32 percent, proving that competitive ports grow jobs.Wages

ILWU workers receive a compensation package that is among the most lucrative among all blue-collar workers in the United States. Full-time workers earn an average of $161,000 annually in wages, along with a non-wage benefits package costing more than $100,000 per active worker per year.

Health Benefits

The ILWU benefits package includes fully paid health care for workers, retirees and their families with no premiums, no in-network deductibles and 100 percent coverage of basic hospital, medical and surgical benefits. Prescription drugs are covered for $1 per prescription; dental and vision care are provided to workers, retirees and their families at little or no cost.

Pensions

Workers are also eligible for a pension that has seen major upgrades in recent years, with a current maximum benefit of nearly $89,000 per year. Workers have access to a 401(k) savings plan with an employer contribution, as well as 13 paid holidays each year and up to six weeks of paid vacation.